About

Waddell Creek, site of the Santa Cruz Goya Windsurfing Festival, flows near the Northern Santa Cruz county line. It’s directly off HWY 1, about 20 minutes north of Santa Cruz, and an hour south of San Francisco Bay. With the reliable Northen California wind machine cranking 5.0-4.5 steady side to side onshore winds, Waddell offers a punchy set of peaks that is perfectly suited for jumping and waveriding alike. It was first sailed by Kevin Mitchell and Barbara Ockel in the late 70′s on slightly modified stock Windsurfers. It’s proximity to both the Bay Area and Santa Cruz, as well as being one of the best waves around on a south swell allowed further progress and interest. Waddell has in the past hosted a huge international event, the 1983 Hang Ten World Cup, and it gained reputation in the 80′s as the premier wavesailing spot on the mainland, with several successful national competitions held from 1985-2000.